High School category, Page 573
Shady Side Academy upsets Elizabeth Forward to advance to semifinals
For the first time in more than a decade, Shady Side Academy is heading to the WPIAL semifinals. The No. 6 Bulldogs played stout defense and made big plays when they needed to en route to a 31-17 upset victory over No. 3 Elizabeth Forward in the Class 3A quarterfinals...
‘Down and out’ Central Catholic tops Mt. Lebanon to make 4th straight finals trip
Central Catholic wideout Peter Gonzalez missed the first three weeks of the season after knee surgery, but quarterback Payton Wehner kept throwing him passes anyway, while he worked his way back to the field. Now, they’re among the top quarterback-receiver duos in the WPIAL. “Me and Payton just built that...
Belle Vernon dominates East Allegheny in WPIAL playoffs
All the talk this week was red wave or blue wave. But all No. 9 East Allegheny saw was a green wave on “The Beach” at James Weir Stadium. Top-seeded Belle Vernon spotted the Wildcats (8-4) a lead before exploding for 55 unanswered to roll into the WPIAL semifinals with...
No. 5 McKeesport overcomes 12 fumbles to beat No. 4 Armstrong in WPIAL quarterfinals
Usually, 12 fumbles isn’t the recipe for a victory. But McKeesport had built a big lead in the heavy rainfall Friday night before the fumble-itis set in. The No. 5 Tigers scored on four straight possessions in the first half and rolled to a 41-21 victory over No. 4 Armstrong...
Beaver Falls shuts out Ligonier Valley in WPIAL quarters
Tasked with running a hurry-up offense, the likes of which they had never seen before, Ligonier Valley and Beaver Falls had to pack up and move their WPIAL Class 2A football game to another site Friday night shortly after warm-ups when a blown transformer caused a power outage at Geneva...
Freeport trounces West Mifflin in WPIAL quarterfinals
Freeport didn’t let persistent rain showers or West Mifflin slow it down in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal Friday at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium. The Titans scored first, but the Yellowjackets scored more often and rolled to a 42-6 victory. “I am so very proud of the boys,” Freeport coach...
Thomas Jefferson runs over Latrobe, gives coach Bill Cherpak 300th win
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole on Friday night forced Thomas Jefferson to go back to what it has done successfully under Bill Cherpak’s reign as coach: old-school football. Thomas Jefferson used a strong running game and an overwhelming defense to defeat Latrobe, 21-6, in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals. Latrobe...
Blocked field goal return helps No. 2 Central Valley roll past Laurel Highlands in quarterfinals
A blocked field goal returned for a touchdown proved to swing the momentum to Central Valley as the second-seeded Warriors picked up a 36-7 victory over No. 7 Laurel Highlands in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Friday night at Sarge Alberts Stadium in Monaca. The Mustangs lined...
Aliquippa capitalizes on mistakes to take down Montour in Class 4A quarterfinals
It was wet at Freedom Friday night, but there wasn’t any rust on Aliquippa following a bye week. The top-seeded Quips came out and scored 20 points in the first quarter rolled from there on their way to a 41-7 victory over No. 8 Montour (7-5) in the WPIAL Class...
Beaver Falls-Ligonier Valley game delayed by power outage, moved to Blackhawk
The WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal football playoff game between Ligonier Valley and Beaver Falls has been moved from Geneva College to Blackhawk High School. Kickoff was delayed after a tree fell into a transformer and caused a power outage at Geneva. With power not set to come on until after...
Westmoreland PIAA girls soccer playoff capsules: Games for Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022
Today’s games Class 2A Quarterfinals Mt. Pleasant (20-2) vs. Fort LeBoeuf (15-1-2) Noon, Wright Field at Newman Stadium, North Allegheny Winner plays: Winner of 9-1 Clearfield (21-1)/10-2 General McLane (14-5-1) Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) District finish: Mt. Pleasant 7-2; Fort LeBoeuf 10-1 First round: Mt. Pleasant 2, Bedford...
Alle-Kiski Valley soccer playoff preview: Game of Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022
Today’s game Class A PIAA quarterfinals Greensburg C.C. (14-5) vs. Springdale (17-4) Noon, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon Winner plays: Winner of 9-1 Karns City (18-4)/7-1 Freedom (18-4) Tuesday in semifinals (time, site TBD) District finish: Greensburg Central Catholic 7-3; Springdale 7-2 First round: Greensburg Central Catholic 3, Windber 2...
Plum girls soccer team ready for another crack at Moon in PIAA playoffs
The Moon girls soccer team did to Mars what no other team had done in 80 previous matchups with the Planets. The Tigers posted a 1-0 victory at Highmark Stadium last Saturday to win the WPIAL Class 3A title and end Mars’ monumental win streak. Moon also denied the Planets...
Central Catholic is passing more than ever, yet rainstorm awaits in WPIAL semifinals
There was a new piece of equipment on the field at Central Catholic football practice this week: a five-gallon water jug. “We’ve been dumping the balls in water all week,” said quarterback Payton Wehner, whose team was getting ready for a waterlogged WPIAL semifinal Friday night at Mt. Lebanon. “We’ve...
Boys All-WPIAL soccer teams, players, coaches of year announced
The Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association announced its All-WPIAL lists for each classification. Here are this year’s selections, along with players and coaches of the year: Class 4A Anthony Bellino, Sr., F, Canon-McMillan Cadan Bennett, Jr., GK, Pine-Richland John Paul Brach, Sr., F, Fox Chapel Will Bruno, Sr., F, Seneca...
5 things to watch in Week 11: Thomas Jefferson’s Bill Cherpak could be 4th WPIAL coach to 300 wins
Twenty-seven years ago, Thomas Jefferson started the 1995 football season with a 15-0 win over Belle Vernon behind a first-year head coach named Bill Cherpak. That was win No. 1. Now, almost three decades later, Cherpak could celebrate a much bigger milestone this week that would put him in elite...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 10, 2022
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Downingtown West vs. Wilson (19-2-1) at Methacton, 3:30 p.m.; Honesdale (17-3) vs. Emmaus (24-0) at East Stroudsburg South, 4:30 p.m.; Lower Dauphin (19-3-1) vs. Great Valley (20-3) at Exeter, 11 a.m. ; Conestoga (20-2) vs. Manheim Township (18-5) at...
High school roundup for Nov. 10, 2022: Latrobe hockey lights lamp vs. Mars
Reid West had three goals and two assists and Jacob Hannah scored twice and chipped in three assists to lead Latrobe to an 11-3 victory over Mars in PIHL Class 2A hockey Thursday night. Noah Guidos netted a pair of goals and Peyton Myers added a goal and four assists...
Westinghouse blows by Berlin Brothersvalley to claim region title
SOMERSET – The District 5-8 Class 2A Championship game was moved up a day to avoid the remnants and stormy weather of Hurricane Nicole. But the storm that blew through Somerset County on Thursday was created by the Pittsburgh City League champions Westinghouse. The Bulldogs (11-0) used their speed to...
Veteran trio corrals talented young Mt. Pleasant team
With only two seniors in the starting 11, one might think Mt. Pleasant lacks veteran leadership. That this team is just a bunch of whiz kids running around aimlessly. But that could not be farther from the truth for the Vikings (20-2), who sit two wins away from a trip...
Freeport QB Croney acquitting himself well as starter
Gavin Croney’s only varsity snap as a quarterback last year didn’t quite go as planned With starter Ben Lane out of the lineup for the WPIAL Class 3A first-round game against Ambridge, Croney found himself under center for a play in the first quarter. “It was a handoff, and it...
Greensburg C.C. girls soccer gets rival Springdale at Norwin stadium, where Centurions are 9-0 since 2014
As if playing Springdale for a third time this season wasn’t enough to pique their interest, the site for Saturday’s PIAA Class A girls soccer quarterfinal has Greensburg Central Catholic and coach Kara Batey beaming. The WPIAL section rivals will play at Norwin Knights Stadium in North Huntingdon. “I can’t...
WPIAL football playoff preview capsules for Nov. 11, 2022
With some unneeded help from Mother Nature, 20 WPIAL football teams hope to slip and slide into next weekend with a shot at district gold alive and well. It will be a wet Friday night of playoff football, with a pair of semifinals in Class 6A and 5A and four...
Fralic Award finalists to be announced Monday
Finalists for the fourth Bill Fralic Award will be announced Monday at a special press conference. For the first time, the announcement will come from the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center, where William P. Fralic Foundation organizers and WPIAL officials will unveil the top candidates for...
Through the Years: In 1962, Verona made last-minute grab at Gardner points
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. Verona defeated East Huntingdon, 14-7, in a hastily arranged game to get the Panthers enough Gardner Points for a berth in the WPIAL...
